How does Lyft work?

A:

Quick Answer

Lyft is a transportation service that matches drivers with passengers through a mobile application. Lyft’s drivers are regular car owners; they use their own vehicles and are compensated for transporting passengers.

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Passengers request rides from Lyft by downloading the mobile App from the IOS App store or the Google Play Store. Once downloaded, a user must create an account through Facebook or her mobile phone number. Users are required to submit a valid debit or credit card as a form of payment.

A passenger requests a ride through the app based on her location. The service matches the passenger with a background-checked driver from the Lyft community. She can track her driver’s route and estimated time of arrival from the app. When the ride ends, Lyft charges payment from the user’s saved debit or credit card.

Both users and drivers are encouraged to rate one another. If a passenger gives a driver a rating of 3 stars or below, she is not matched with that driver in the future.

Driver applicants are required to be at least 21 years of age and own a car that is in good working condition. The approval process requires drivers to pass a phone test, an in-person interview, and DMV record and background checks. Lyft provides up to $1 million in commercial automobile-liability insurance and several other security features to ensure a safe ride.